Switch lock



- S. LUCHKANICH.

swncu LOCK. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I, 1922.

11,436,767. Patented Nov. 28,1922.

Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

UNITED STATES STEPHEN LUCHKANICH, 0F MAYFIELD, PENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCH LOCK.

Application filed September 1, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN Loon- KANIOH, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Mayfield, in the county of Lackawanna and State 01 Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and use tul Improvements in Switch Locks, of: which 'the following is a specification.

This invention relates to switch locking devices, and the said invention is intended for use primarily in connection with car tracks in mines where there is restricted space for the installation of operating mechanism and where the switch locking devices themselves are preferably manually operated to the operative and inoperative positions with relation to those elements or" a switch which are commonly known as latches,

the tongue and while it is moving from an inoperative to operative position and while in inoperative position, novel means being also provided for holding temporarily the tongue from moving out of operative position; and it is a further object of this invention to provide means in such associated relation to other parts of the mechanism as to prevent accidental disengagement of the tongue holding or retaining means, notwithstanding undue pressure may be'applied to the tongue against the retaining means.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a retaining means which may assume operative relation to the tongue, without liability of interfering with the movement of the wheel flanges, certain configuration being given the tongue retaining means in order that there will be a clearance above the retaining means for the flanges of the wheels even though the wheels are worn and have considerable movement with relation to the rail treads.

It is a further object of this invention to produce a chair or base member on which the tongue is slidably supported and which Serial No. 585,710.

constitutes a mounting for the tongue retaining device, the parts being in such relation as to permit the tongue retaining device to swing outwardly from its operative position and rest on the anchorage or support on which the base is installed, this arrangement being provided in order to prevent iracture 01": the tongue retaining element when in its inoperative position.

A further object oi this invention is to produce a device of the character indicated which can be readily-installed on tracks now in common use, and which will be comparatively inexpensive to manfacture and maintain.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention consists in the details of construction, and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

in describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this application wherein like characters denote corresponding parts in the several views, and in which Figure 1 illustrates a plan view of a section of a track showing a device embodying the invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 illustrates a plan view;

Figure 3 illustrates a side elevation, partly in section; and

Figure 4 illustrates a perspective view of the device.

In these drawings, 5 denotes the base which is adapted to be applieo to.a cross tie or other support, the same being provided with a shoulder 6 forming an abutment for one edge of the base flange of a rail A, and with apertures 7 to receive the spikes or tastenings by which the rail is secured in place. The base is further provided with apertures 8 to receive fastening-s which clamp the other side of the rail to the base, and a rib or raised portion 9 extends longitudinally of the base and it is undercut as at 10 to form a clearance for the flange of the rail which is seated on the base. The rib is therefore in such position with relation to the rail as to support a switch tongue B and permit the said switch tongue to be oscillated or swung from an operative position with relation to the rail on the base or to an inoperative position.

The switch tongues employed in mines are usually of less height than the rail with which they coact and the rib will, of course,

be proportioned in height to the requirements of supporting a tongue on a proper plane so that its tread surface will be on the same plane as the tread surfaces of the rail with which it coacts.

In the present embodiment of the invention, the base has two lugs or posts 11 through which a pin or pintle 12 extends.

The lugs are in spaced relation to each other and the pin which extends across the space between the two posts is engaged by the tongue holding element 13, the said tongue holding element being oscillatably mounted on the said pin. The tongue engaging device has a concave surface 14 which forms a clearance for the flanges of wheels and it has a flared end 15 which increases the hear-- ing surface at the end of the retaining device which may be engaged by the tongue, and this flared portion also constitutes a support for the tongue holding element when it is in inoperative position, since the said flared portion may rest on the support on which the base is placed and thus it will more fully resist pressure or other influences which might tend to fracture it, or to fracture some part of the device.

The posts and parts associated with it are so shaped as to produce a clearance for the movement of the tongue engaging element to the dotted line position shown in the drawing.

The under surface of the tongue retaining member is provided with side flanges 16 which engage the sides of the rib in order that a bracing action will be afforded, and the shape of the said retainin g device is such that its end remote from the pivot is on a plane below the longitudinol axis of the pivot, and therefore, upward movement of the end of the tongue engaging element will. be prevented, notwithstanding undue pressure may be provided to the said end.

It will" be understood from the foregoing description, therefore, that whenthe tongue is moved to an operative position on the rib, it will be clear of theend of the retaining device, which retaining device may be moved to operative position by hand and after the car has passed the switch, the tongue engaging element may be manually operated and moved to the dotted line position shown in the drawing, and the tongue may then be swung from engagement with the rail which is anchored on the base.

A device made in accordance with this invention iscomparatively simple, as stated, and can be readily installed in association with tracks in operative relation to switch tongues now in common use.

I claim:

1. In a switch retaining device, a base having an anchorage for a rail, a member on which a switch tongue may move into and out of operative relationto the rail, a switch retaining element oscillatable ona horizontal pivot and adapted to moveinto and out of engagement with the rib and the switch tongue, the said tonguexengaging element having a concave surface and a flared end, the former formin a clearance for the flanges of wheels and the latter constituting a support for the tongue engaging element when in inoperative position.

2. In a switch retaining device, a base, a rib thereon, a switch tongue engaging element movable into and out of engagement with the rib, a pivot on which the said switch engaging element is mounted, flanges on the loweredges of the tongue engaging element for preventing transverse movement of the said switch engaging element, the said switch engaging element'having. a concave upper surface producing a clearance for the flanges of wheels, and a flared end constituting a support for the saidtongue engaging element when it is ininoperative position, as and for the purpose described.

3. In a switch retaining device, a base, a rib thereon, a switch tongue engaging element movable into and out of engagement with the rib, a pivot on which the said switch engaging element is mounted, flanges on the lower edges of the tongue engaging element for preventing transverse movement of the said switch engaging element, the said switch engaging element having a concave upper surface producing a clearance for the flanges of wheels, anda flared end constituting a support for the said tongue engaging element when it is in operative position, and flanges on the lower edges of. the tongue engaging element engaging the sides of the rib for preventing lateral movement of the said tongue en a in element. a STEPHEN LU'oriKXNIoH. 

